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The authorities in South Africa's commercial capital, Johannesburg, have implemented some water restrictions which will compel consumers and businesses to control water usage.

This comes as South Africa is going through its worst drought since 1982. The restrictions include a call for no watering of gardens from 6a.m.-6p.m., no filling of pools and bathtubs and no use of hosepipes to wash cars.

Authorities say non-compliance could lead to stricter restrictions which would involve cutting water supply at certain periods. More than 2.7 million households around the country have been affected by water shortages, according to the authorities.

The government has already allocated $26m to KwaZulu-Natal, one of the worst hit provinces, in a bid to mitigate the impact of the drought that has been blamed on the El Nino weather pattern. El Nino is expected to also impact other parts of southern Africa.